specialty

American  

[spesh-uhl-tee] / ˈspɛʃ əl ti /

noun

plural

specialties

1. a special or distinctive quality, mark, state, or condition.

2. a special subject of study, line of work, area of interest, or the like.

   His specialty is art criticism.

3. an article or service particularly dealt in, rendered, manufactured, etc., or one to which the provider, dealer, or manufacturer claims to devote special care.

   The manufacturer's specialty is fine hats.

   Synonyms:

   forte, badge, stamp, trademark

4. an article of unusual or superior design or quality.

5. a novelty; a new article.

6. an article with such strong consumer demand that it is at least partially removed from price competition.

7. a special or particular point, item, matter, characteristic, or peculiarity.

8. Law.

   1. a special agreement, contract, etc., expressed in an instrument under seal.

   2. a negotiable instrument not under seal.

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adjective

1. Theater. (in vaudeville)

   1. performing or performed in a manner that is unusual or not customary for a type of act, especially a performance involving dexterity or ingenuity, as a patter song.

      specialty actor; specialty act.

   2. (of a song or dance) isolated from the rest of the show.

      specialty number.

specialty British  

/ ˈspɛʃəltɪ /

noun

1. law a formal contract or obligation expressed in a deed

2. a special interest or skill

3. 1. a service or product specialized in, as at a restaurant

      roast beef was a specialty of the house

   2. ( as modifier )

      a specialty dish

4. a special or distinguishing feature or characteristic

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Etymology

Origin of specialty

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English specialte, specialite “particular affection, fondness,” from Old French especialte, specialte “special quality, favor, or privilege,” from Latin speciālitāt- (inflectional stem of speciālitās) “particularity, peculiarity”; see special, -ity

Explanation

A specialty is someone's strong suit or area of expertise. A restaurant’s best dish would be its specialty. If you love baking muffins, make that your specialty. Magic Johnson was a great overall basketball player, but his specialty was passing the ball to teammates and getting assists. A specialty is a skill, strength, or asset someone has because of hard work. A doctor can have a specialty such as cardiology. A restaurant will usually have a specialty, which is a unique meal they're known for making. Just like special things have something unique or great about them, specialties are something a person or place does well.

Example Sentences

Operating, general and administrative expenses jumped 44% to $8.47 billion, which the company primarily attributed to the sale of Kroger Specialty Pharmacy and investments in associate wages and benefits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Specialty chemical and similar industrial companies in the S&P 500 trade for an average of about 15.5 times trailing Ebitda, according to FactSet.

From Barron's • Nov. 3, 2025

"The market is growing in capacity and demand, " says Daniel Hiller, underwriter, and group head of terrorism and political violence at insurer Munich Re Specialty.

From BBC • Sep. 21, 2025

Specialty brands of compound and flavored butters are being sold for $20 each and $60 per bundle.

From Salon • Aug. 16, 2025

She was so weak she could barely get to the door to open it for her daughter, who took Leila to the emergency room at Cache Valley Specialty Hospital.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• hobby
• major
• masterpiece
• profession
• speciality